Research Links Frailty to Dementia Risk

Reducing frailty could be an effective strategy to prevent dementia among older adults

New research affirms the critical importance physical wellness has on long-term cognitive health.(Halfpoint/Shutterstock)

A new study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry suggests that seniors with frailty who adhere to a healthy lifestyle could reduce their risk for dementia. Researchers are seeing increasing evidence that taking steps toward healthier actions can significantly affect cognitive health.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 196,000 adults older than 60 from the UK Biobank for this study. Genetic risk was calculated by using a previously developed score for frailty that reflects the accumulation of age-related symptoms, signs, diseases, and disabilities. These were analyzed along with a score on healthy lifestyle behaviors and a percentage of those who developed dementia.

Dementia in the participants was detected through hospital admission records. Researchers found a total of 1,762 people who had dementia and noted that they were much more likely to have a high degree of frailty before their diagnosis compared with those who didn’t develop dementia.

Researchers examined the effect of genetic risk for dementia in people with different degrees of frailty. In the most frail participants, the risk of dementia was high regardless of their genes. For those who were at the highest risk of dementia due to their genes, the risk was lowest in people who were fit and highest in people who were in poor health.

“Our research is a major step forward in understanding how reducing frailty could help to improve a person’s chances of avoiding dementia dramatically, regardless of their genetic predisposition to the condition,“ lead study author Dr. David Ward said. ”This is exciting because we believe that some of the underlying causes of frailty are in themselves preventable. In our study, this looked to be possible partly through engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors.”

This research helps to identify ways to reduce the risk of dementia. Overall, participants who reported more engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors were less likely to develop dementia. Researchers suggest that this is partly because they had a lower degree of frailty.

Brain Health

Brain health is a common concern as people age. With dementia and Alzheimer’s cases rising throughout the population, studies such as this are essential to outline prevention techniques and treatments for the diseases.

A healthy lifestyle includes exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and making sure that you’re getting all of the essential vitamins and nutrients for healthy brain function.

Sarah Cownley earned a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London, and she enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. This article was originally published on Bel Marra Health.